Greek · G3982 · unreviewed

πείθω

To persuade

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πείθω G3982
Pronunciation peíthō

What does πείθω (peíthō) mean in the Bible?

πείθω (peíthō) is a Greek word meaning "to persuade". πείθω, [in LXX chiefly for בָּטַח בֶּטַח, its parts and derivatives ;] __(i) Active; __1. Reflects earnest effort to bring hearers to faith. This term runs through the canonical themes of Faith.

Full entry for πείθω (G3982) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to persuade
Extended definition

To persuade by winning confidence; passive sense emphasizes resulting belief and obedience to persuasion received.

iActive;
1trans., to apply persuasion ("conative" in pres.; see M, Pr., 147), to prevail upon or win over, persuade: absol., Mat.28:14, Act.19:26; before περί, with genitive of thing(s), Act.19:8; with accusative of person(s), Act.12:20 14:19 18:4, 2Co.5:11, Gal.1:10; τ. καρδίας ἡμῶν, 1Jn.3:19; with accusative before περί, Act.28:23; with accusative and inf., Act.13:43 26:28 (see Field, Notes, 141 ff.); with accusative before ἵνα (Plut.), Mat.27:20.
2Intrans., 2 pf. πέποιθα with Pres. sense (see M, Pr., 147, 154; Bl., § 59, 2): to trust, be confident, have confidence: with accusative and inf., Rom.2:19; with accusative ref. (see Ellic., in l) : Php.1:6, 25; with dative, Php.1:14, Phm 21; ἑαυτῷ, with inf., 2Co.10:7; before ἐν, Php.3:3-4; ἐν κυρίῳ ὅτι, Php.2:24; ἐπί, with dative, Mat.27:43 (WH, mg.), Mrk.10:24 (T, WH, R, mg., om.), Luk.11:22 18:9, 2Co.1:9, Heb.2:13; ἐπί, with accusative, Mat.27:43 (with dative, WH, mg.); id. before ὅτι, 2Co.2:3, 2Th.3:4 (see Lft., Notes, 127); εἰς, with accusative of person(s) before ὅτι, Gal.5:10. (ii) Pass. and mid.;
1to be persuaded, believe (see M, Pr., 158) : absol., Luk.16:31, Act.17:4 21:14, Heb.13:18; with dative, Act.28:24; with accusative and inf., Act.26:26; so also pf., πέπεισμαι, πεπεισμένος εἰμί: with accusative ref. before περί, Heb.6:9; with accusative and inf., Luk.20:6; ὅτι, Rom.8:38, 2Ti.1:5 1:12; id. with ἐν κυρίῳ, Rom.14:14; περί, with genitive before ὅτι, Rom.15:14.
2to listen to, obey: with dative of person(s), Act.5:36-37, 40 23:21 27:11, Rom.2:8, Gal.5:7, Heb.13:17, Jas.3:3 (cf. ἀνα-πείθω). Πειθώ, -οῦς, ἡ
1Peitho, Persuasion (as a goddess).
2per­suasion: ἐν πειθοῖ (so Orig., Eus. and some cursives in 1Co.2:4 for πειθός, which see).
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Reflects earnest effort to bring hearers to faith. Acts 18:1-4
Highlights the personal appeal embedded in gospel proclamation. Acts 26:24-32
Describes Paul’s earnest appeal from Scripture. Acts 28:23-28
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Perfect Imperfect Future Aorist Present Pluperfect
Voices
Passive Active
Indicative states a fact or reality 30×
Perfect Passive Rom 8:38 · Rom 14:14 · Rom 15:14 · 2 Tim 1:5 · 2 Tim 1:12 · Heb 6:9
Perfect Active Matt 27:43 · 2 Cor 10:7 · Gal 5:10 · Phil 2:24 · Rom 2:19 · 2 Thess 3:4
Imperfect Passive Acts 5:36 · Acts 5:37 · Acts 28:24 · Acts 27:11
Present Active Acts 26:28 · 2 Cor 5:11 · Gal 1:10
Future Active Matt 28:14 · 1 John 3:19
Aorist Passive Acts 5:39 · Acts 17:4
Imperfect Active Acts 13:43 · Acts 18:4
Present Passive Acts 26:26 · Heb 13:18
Aorist Active Matt 27:20
Pluperfect Active Luke 11:22
Future Passive Luke 16:31
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 17×
Perfect Active 2 Cor 2:3 · Phil 1:6 · Phil 1:25 · Phlm 1:21 · Heb 2:13 · Luke 18:9 · Phil 1:14 · 2 Cor 1:9 · Phil 3:3
Aorist Active Acts 12:20 · Acts 14:19 · Acts 19:26
Present Active Acts 19:8 · Acts 28:23
Present Passive Acts 21:14 · Rom 2:8
Perfect Passive Luke 20:6
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract
Present Passive Gal 5:7 · Jas 3:3
Perfect Active Phil 3:4
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose
Aorist Passive Acts 23:21
Imperative command or strong request
Present Passive Heb 13:17
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 47 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 3 ongoing 5 prospective 3 resultant 12 imperative 1 background 6 subjunctive 1 infinitive 3 participle 13
Tense
perfect 19 present 11 aorist 7 imperfect 6 future 3 pluperfect 1
Voice
active 27 passive 20
Mood
indicative 29 participle 13 infinitive 3 subjunctive 1 imperative 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 27:20 ἔπεισαν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 27:43 πέποιθεν perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 28:14 πείσομεν future active indicative prospective Luke 11:22 ἐπεποίθει pluperfect active indicative resultant Luke 16:31 πεισθήσονται future passive indicative prospective Luke 18:9 πεποιθότας perfect active participle participle Acts 5:36 ἐπείθοντο imperfect passive indicative background Acts 5:37 ἐπείθοντο imperfect passive indicative background Acts 5:39 ἐπείσθησαν aorist passive indicative completed Acts 12:20 πείσαντες aorist active participle participle Acts 13:43 ἔπειθον imperfect active indicative background Acts 14:19 πείσαντες aorist active participle participle Acts 17:4 ἐπείσθησαν aorist passive indicative completed Acts 18:4 ἔπειθέν imperfect active indicative background Acts 19:26 πείσας aorist active participle participle Acts 21:14 πειθομένου present passive participle participle Acts 23:21 πεισθῇς aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Acts 26:26 πείθομαι present passive indicative ongoing Acts 26:28 πείθεις present active indicative ongoing Acts 27:11 ἐπείθετο imperfect passive indicative background Acts 28:23 πείθων present active participle participle Acts 28:24 ἐπείθοντο imperfect passive indicative background Romans 2:19 πέποιθάς perfect active indicative resultant Romans 2:8 πειθομένοις present passive participle participle Romans 8:38 πέπεισμαι perfect passive indicative resultant Romans 15:14 Πέπεισμαι perfect passive indicative resultant 2 Corinthians 2:3 πεποιθὼς perfect active participle participle 2 Corinthians 5:11 πείθομεν present active indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 10:7 πέποιθεν perfect active indicative resultant Galatians 1:10 πείθω present active indicative ongoing Galatians 5:10 πέποιθα perfect active indicative resultant Galatians 5:7 πείθεσθαι present passive infinitive infinitive Philippians 1:14 πεποιθότας perfect active participle participle Philippians 1:25 πεποιθὼς perfect active participle participle Philippians 1:6 πεποιθὼς perfect active participle participle Philippians 2:24 πέποιθα perfect active indicative resultant Philippians 3:3 πεποιθότες perfect active participle participle Philippians 3:4 πεποιθέναι perfect active infinitive infinitive 2 Thessalonians 3:4 πεποίθαμεν perfect active indicative resultant 2 Timothy 1:12 πέπεισμαι perfect passive indicative resultant +7 more occurrences

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

Word Pictures (Robertson)
Sources